by Michael Smith (Veshengro)
Stuff. Possessions. Things. We all have way too much of it. Especially if you have children or if you are one to hold onto things for sentimental reasons. There may be a psychological underlying reason why you hold onto your stuff, but no matter what the reason is, there are ways to help reduce and reuse it.
However, possessions, in themselves, are not bad or evil just when they become an obsession and the possessor gets possessed by them then the things are a little different.
On the other hand there are many instances when you do want to reduce clutter and some of the stuff, I am going through that process at the moment and it is not an easy one, I tell you.
Here are some ideas to reduce and reuse:
Birthday party favors: When kids come home from birthday parties, in the main, the flood of plastic trinkets and useless odds and ends end up where? In the trash, then ultimately in the landfill or cluttering up bedroom desks. Why not let the kids take home their own plant? They will love it and so will their parents.
Clutter Control: Not an easy thing, not even with a book or two but a must nevertheless as I am happy to attest, though still working on it.
Clothing Swaps: This is such a fabulous way to get rid of the things you no longer need or wear and get some new threads.
Reuse & upcycle: “E How” offers great suggestions on how to reuse and upcycle everyday items in lieu of continually tossing them into the recycling bin and “Replaygound Blog” also does the same.
You too may wish to keep an eye on this publication and go through some older posts as to some ideas of how to reuse and upcycle items that most consider waste or at best recyclables destined for the recycling bins.
Also keep a look out for an e-book that is in production from this writer that will be dealing just with that, namely upcycling what others consider trash.
Going paper-free is another great way of eliminating clutter but, and here comes the but, for that you need a PC, a scanner and the right software.
The Story of Stuff: If you have not already watched the video, then this is a big must. The Story of Stuff with Annie Leonard is a 20 minute video that is captivating and worth every minute of your time! Teaching you environmental and social issues without being too preachy, Annie Leonard forces you look and really think about the stuff you have in your life.
Despite the fact that I am of Gypsy stock and grew up on the road in the old small trailers where possessions and clutter just could not be, as soon as I have hit settled life with living in a house I have become a pack rat and keep so much of the “might come in handy some day” stuff that it is no longer funny.. Does that day ever come? Yes, when I have thrown the things away that I had for the “might come in handy event”.
When it comes to reduce the primary reduction must be a should be as regards to packaging and such like for it is packaging that is the greatest problem when it comes to waste generated and the holiday period over what is called Christmas is one of the times where most of this is generated, followed by Easter.
Much of the stuff that we buy is over-packaged in a way that is totally and utterly unnecessary, such as – another pet peeve of mine – Braun replacement toothbrush heads which are individually blister backed and then put into another hard plastic blister. You know the kind I mean, I am sure.
In many places those blister packs are not taken by the municipalities for recycling so they end up in the landfill and the same is true for all the non-recyclable metalized wrapping paper, for instance, and other laminate wraps, cards, boxes.
We must change back to the ways it was in the days of old and no, I do not mean us to go to live in caves or tepees again. But when we bought things then they were in normal cardboard boxes, such as matchbox cars, for instance; boxes that one can recycle and that would rot down if put into the compost, for instance. Other things were just sold loose and put into paper bags or you even brought your own jars along. Everything today is simply over-packaged and for no real reason.
We must change...
© 2010
